65-1509. Notification of location of practice; biennial license renewal, fee; inactive status license; expiration of license, notice; cancellation of license; reinstatement, fee. (a) Before engaging in the practice of optometry in this state, it shall be the duty of each licensed optometrist to notify the board in writing of the address of the office or offices where such licensee is to engage or intends to engage in the practice of optometry and of any changes in the licensee's location of practice. Any notice required to be given by the board to any licensed optometrist may be given by mailing to such address through the United States mail, postpaid, or by electronic means to such electronic mail or facsimile address provided by the licensed optometrist to the board for such purpose.

(b) Any license to practice optometry issued by the board shall expire on May 31 of the year specified by the board for the expiration of the license and shall be renewed on a biennial basis in accordance with this section. The request for renewal shall be on a form provided by the board and shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee, which shall be paid no later than the expiration date of the license.

(c) Each license shall be renewed on a biennial basis. To provide for a system of biennial renewal of licenses, the board may provide by rules and regulations that licenses issued or renewed may expire less than two years from the date of issuance or renewal and for the proration of fees accordingly. On or before May 1 each year, the board shall determine the amount that may be necessary for the next ensuing fiscal year to carry out and enforce the provisions of the optometry law, and shall fix by rules and regulations the renewal fee and the fees provided for in K.S.A. 65-1505, and amendments thereto, in such amounts as may be necessary for that purpose. The biennial renewal fee shall not exceed $800. Upon fixing such fees, the board shall immediately notify all licensees of the amount of such fees for the ensuing biennial renewal period. In every renewal year hereafter, every licensed optometrist shall pay to the board of examiners a fee for a renewal of such license for each biennial renewal period. The license renewal fee fixed by the board under this subsection which is in effect on the day preceding the effective date of this act shall continue in effect until the board adopts rules and regulations under this subsection fixing a different fee therefor.

(d) The payment of the renewal fee by the person who is a holder of a license as an optometrist but who has not complied with the continuing education requirements fixed by the board, if no grounds exist for denying the renewal of the license other than that the person has not complied with the continuing education requirements fixed by the board, shall entitle the person to inactive status licensure by the board. No person holding an inactive status license from the board shall engage in the practice of optometry in this state. A person holding an inactive status license from the board shall be entitled to cancellation of the inactive status license and to renewal of licensure as an optometrist upon furnishing satisfactory evidence to the board that such person has obtained the equivalent of all missed continuing education requirements to date, and payment of an additional fee fixed by the board through rule and regulation in an amount not to exceed $450.

(e) At least 30 days before the expiration of the licensee's license, the board shall notify each licensee of the expiration as provided in subsection (a) of this section. If the licensee fails to pay the biennial fee or show proof of compliance with the continuing education requirements by the date of the expiration of the license, the board shall provide such licensee as provided in subsection (a) of this section a second notice that the licensee's license has expired, that the board shall suspend action for 30 days following the date of expiration, that upon receipt of the biennial fee together with an additional fee not to exceed $500, within the thirty-day period, no order of cancellation will be entered and that, if both fees are not received within the thirty-day period, the license shall be canceled.

(f) Any licensee who allows the licensee's license to lapse or be canceled by failing to renew as herein provided, may be reinstated by the board upon payment of the renewal fees then due and upon proof of compliance with the continuing education requirements established by the board. As an additional requirement of reinstatement, in cases in which the board deems it appropriate, the licensee may be required to successfully pass the examination given by the board to applicants for licensure or such other competency examination as the board may choose.

History: L. 1923, ch. 220, § 13; R.S. 1923, 65-1509; L. 1951, ch. 360, § 2; L. 1960, ch. 50, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 317, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 318, § 6; L. 1979, ch. 192, § 2; L. 1990, ch. 223, § 5; L. 1999, ch. 23, § 4; L. 2003, ch. 46, § 2; L. 2005, ch. 93, § 2; L. 2012, ch. 8, § 4; July 1.